Aeroplane.



H. R. DECKER. AEROPLANB.

APPLIQATION FILED APR.3, 1911.

1,057,225. Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSEIS: INVENTOR C ZATTORNEVSZ H. R. DECKER. AEROPLANB.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1911.

1,057,225, Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H 3 j gjM/EY HARRY n. DECKER, or HdUSTONjTEXAS.

AEROPLANE.

Specification o1! Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

Application filed April 8, 1911. Serial No. 618,665.

citizen of the United States, residing atv Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is aspecification,

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in aeroplanes and has more particular relation to the motor and propelling mechanism therefor.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribedequipped with an engine of the type known 1n the art of engine construction as the Gnome engine, and which is bodily rotatable, relative to the supporting frame therefor, and whose cylinders are so arranged as to radlate' from a common center, and are provided with wings or blades which serve as liftin or as dr1ving propellers, the function 0 said blades depending upon the position of the engine in the frame of the aeroplane. If the plane of rotation of the engine is horizontal the cylinder blades are disposed so as to perform the function of lifting propellers and if the said plane of rotation is vertical the said blades serve as driving propellers, the complete engine serving, in either case, the purpose of a gyroscope to st-abllize the machine and prevent the same from capsizing.

With the above and other objects in view my invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of'parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein v Figure 1 is a plan view of the en 'ne showing the-radiatin cylinders and t eir appendant wings or b ades. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof showing the propeller shaft and the propeller carried thereby, said engine and propeller being shown in the relation they will sustain to each other when the engine is mounted to rotate in a plane which is vertical, relative to the frame of the aeroplane. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an aeroplane showing the motor mounted therein so as to rotate in a horizontal plane and operatively connected with the propeller. of the machine, the plane and certain other appendants of the machine, not being shown.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 refers to the main frame of the aeroplane which is supported, when not in air, upon the runners 2.

The numeral 3 refers to the motor or engine, which is constructed after the type of the engine well known in the art, and commonly known to those familiar with engine construction as the Gnome type of on no. The cylinders 4 of this engine radiate rom a common center and the complete engine is mounted so as to rotate bodily, relative to its support, the engine rotating in the direction indicated by the arrows in the figures. Each cylinder carries a wing or blade 5, which is an extension thereof and is preferably integral therewith. This blade forms a wing like extension from said cylinder and inclines from the cylinder, at an angle relative to the plane of rotation of the cylinders, each blade extending from its respective cylinders in the same relative direction as the other blades and at the same angle relative to said plane of rotation, and also forming a cutting edge to lessen theresist-ance of the cylinder with the air. It is readily obvious that as the engine rotates these blades will serve as propellers in the same manner as the ordinary propeller blades, and if the engine is mounted so as to rotate in a horizontal plane and so that the blades will have an upward inclination to the plane of rotation,'the said blades will perform the function of lifting propellers and will enable the machine to rise from the ground much more readily than would be the case were the lifting power thereof dependent entirely upon the inclination of the plane, as is the case with aeroplanes now in common use, and it is further obvious that the machine will be more readily sustained in air with an engine of this construction than it would be if dependent entirely upon its plane as a support. It is further obvious't-hat if said engine is mounted so as to rot-ate in a vertical plane and so arranged that the blades will have a forward inclination relative to the plane of rotation said blades will perform the function of a drivin propeller and assist in driving the machlne forwardly through the am In case the machine is so mounted as to serve as a lifting propeller its drive shaft 6 should be provided with a rigidly mounted bevel gear 7 arranged to mesh with the bevel gear 8 rigidly mounted on the propeller shaft 9 which carries the propeller 10, the

0 linder wings 5 serving to assistin lifting the machine and the propeller 10 drlvin the same forward. If the engine is mounte so as to rotate in a vertical plane its drive shaft 6 may also serve as the propeller shaft. The Wings 5 serving to assist the propeller 10 in driving the machine forward. However the engine may be mounted it will serve as a roscope and tend to maintain the equilibrium of the machine and prevent the same from capsizing, thus performing the function of a stabilizer.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character described the combination with an aeroplane frame, of a motor carried thereby and bodily rotatable relative thereto, a plurality of cylinders carried by the motor and radiating therefrom, lengthwise blades carried by the cylinders and extending laterally therefrom at an angle of inclination to the plane of cylinder rotation, and a propeller rotatably mounted upon said frame and having operative connection with the motor.

2. In a device of the character described, 5 the combination with an aeroplane frame, of a motor carried thereby and bodily rotatable relative thereto, a plurality of cylinders carried by the motor, and radiatin therefrom, lengthwise blades carried by te cylinders and extending laterally therefrom, and a propeller rotatably mounted on said frame and having an operative connection with the motor.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 35 name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY R. DECKER. 

